Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced
Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced is a game developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Universal Interactive for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America on January 7, 2003 and in Europe on March 14, 2003. N-Tranced is the eighth installment in the Crash Bandicoot video game series and the second Crash Bandicoot game to be released on a handheld console. The game's story centers on the exploits of the main character, Crash Bandicoot, as he rescues his sister Coco and friend Crunch from the hypnosis of the main antagonist Doctor Nefarious Tropy and his ally N. Trance. Gameplay Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced is a platform game in which the player controls Crash Bandicoot, who must free his friends from the hypnosis of the main antagonists of the story. Much of the game takes place in a dimensional bubble that Crash and his mentor Aku Aku are trapped in. The inside of the bubble is displayed as a map littered with portals to different levels. Connecting the portals are dotted lines which Crash can use to travel between portals; initially, only a few dotted lines are visible. The goal of each level is to find and obtain any Crystals and Gems hidden in the area. As more Crystals are retrieved from the levels, more dotted lines will become visible on the map, allowing for further exploration. Gems allow access to special levels necessary for full completion of the game. When the antagonists of the game have been defeated and enough Crystals have been gathered to return to Earth, the game is won. "Relics" can be won by re-entering a level where the Crystal has already been retrieved. To obtain a Relic, the player must initiate the "Time Trial" mode and race through a level in the pre-designated time displayed before entering a level. To begin a Time Trial run, the player must enter a level and activate the floating stopwatch near the beginning of the level to activate the timer; if the stopwatch is not touched, the level can be played regularly. The player must then race through the level as quickly as possible. Scattered throughout the level are yellow crates with the numbers 1, 2 or 3 on them. When these crates are broken, the timer is frozen for the number of seconds designated by the box. Sapphire, Gold and Platinum Relics can be won depending on how low the player's final time is. At the beginning of the game, Crash has the ability to jump to navigate ledges, spin in a tornado-like fashion to break open crates and defeat enemies, deliver a body slam to break open tough objects and can either slide across the ground or crouch and crawl to get past low areas. Crash can expand on these abilities by defeating boss characters, often resulting in more powerful attacks or increased jumping and running prowess. Crash starts the game with six lives. Crash loses a life when he is struck by an enemy attack or suffers any other type of damage. More lives can be earned by instructing Crash to collect 100 "Wumpa Fruits" or break open a special crate to collect a life. Crash can be shielded from enemy attacks by collecting an Aku Aku mask. Collecting three of these masks allows temporary invulnerability from all minor dangers. Plot Reception Category:Crash Bandicoot games Category:Platformer games Category:2003 video games Category:Game Boy Advance games Category:Vicarious Visions games